Box connector for flexible electrical conduits



y w. R. WOODRING 2,468,854

BOX CONNECTOR FOR FLEXIBLE ELECTRICAL CONDUITS I Filed May 10, 1946 5Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

W. R. WOODRING:

BOX CONNECTOR FOR FLEXIBLE ELECTRICAL CONDUITS May 3, 19 49.

:5 She ets-Sheet 2- Filed May 10, 1946 I I l I I I n I May 3, 1949. J w. R. WOODRING 2,463,854,

BOXCONNEC\TOR FOR FLEXIBLE ELECTRICAL- ,CQNDUITS Filed May 10, 1946' {Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 3, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOX CONNECTOR FOR FLEXIBLE ELECTRICAL CONDUITS William R. Woodring,"Van Nuys, Caliil. Application May ;1946, Serial No. 668,748 2 Claims (01. 285-65) An object of thisinvention isto provide a connector-for use in'the manner described which may be-quickly and'easilyapplied andinstalled withoutrequiring'theuse'of a nut or any screw threaded-part or extraneous fastening elements.

Another object is to provide a connector such asi-described which is constructedand arranged so ithat the single operation of securingit around thexconduit produces. an automatic locking-and securingv of the connector to an-outlet box or the A furtherobject is? to provide a box' connection of;the==characterdescribed which may be ineXpensively-istamped from 1 sheet metal with integral fastening and locking elements which are subject to beingv manipulated by a special-tool to tightly connect and'lock-a conduit to anoutlet box or the-like.

With the foregoing objects -in.- view, together-- with such'other objects andadvantages as-may subsequently appear,..the-invention resides in the Fig. .4 istop plan viewv of the connector, sectionv formed 'from the blank shown in Fig. 3,

Fig.5 is .a .topplan view of the other connector section. whichisformed from the blank shown in Fig.2,

to connectors for fastenhereinafter described and.

Fig.6 isanend elevation .of theconnector .as

completed with the two sections loosely'connected to one another,

Fi.g; j7 is an elevational view of theother end of the finished connector shown in Fig. 6,

Fig, 8 is a perspective view ofxthe finished con nector,

Fig.9 is a fragmentary side elevation of a connector as when initially-inserted into an opening in anoutlet or like box, showing how the conduit may be" inserted in theconnector and the assembly, is temporarily held in'placej-preliminary' to afliitation of the connectorto the box and conduit,

Fig. 9A is a fragmentary sectional view takenon=the line 9- 9 of P19 Fig. 10 is a fragmentary part elevational partsectional view showing the connector and conduitas when the installation operation has been com-.- pleted',

Fig. 11 is aside elevation of the special tool employed to fix the connector to the box and:-

conduit showing in full lines the tool and connector as they would appear at the start of the" operation-of the tool, and illustrating in dotted ,lines how jaws of the 'tool are moved to fix-thei connector in place,

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 showing how the tool clamps the connector around the conduitby" forcing the sections of the connector together: and bending the locking tongues backward towardr section to which said tongues are connected,

Fig. 13- is-a view similar to Fig."12 showing :the tool and connector as when the installation "ofe-r the connector-is completed, and Fig, l4=is an end elevation of a modified form-e of connector embodying the present invention.-

As shown-in-the accompanying drawings one-sform of connector embodying the. present invention includes atubular body formed of a pair .of--; substantiallysemi-cylindrical sections A and :B'e (see Figs;-.4,--5,*and- 6) which may bestampedfrom'a sheet metal blanksC and D shown in Figs. 2 and 3 respectively. Thesesections are looselyconnected to'one another as shown in Figs. 6, 'I and 8 so-that;

they maybe-adjusted while remaining connected,

Fig. 1 shows a box F with four of theconnectors.

hereof .1 connected thereto, the conduits being...

omitted from. all .but one of the connectors-tori the sake. ofv clarity, of illustration.

In accordance with this invention and as ..will

be. hereinafter more fully described, the. sections":

A'and B of the connector are constructed and arranged so. that when the connector and the?" conduit therein. are initiallyassembled as shown" in Figs. 9 and 11, a special tool H as shown in Figs. 11', 12 and 13' may be applied and manipulated to clamp the sections tightly around the conduit and fix the connector and 13 show the finished installation.

Thesections A and BM the connector are '0 similar 'lorma'ti'oi'r and each' is flared outwardl 'atone-end to-provide an ar'cuat'e lip or *fiangel tightly in the box-ff opening Ein one simple operation. Figs. 1, 10

which is adapted to lie against the inner surface of the wall of the box F, thereby hooking the connector to the box. Each section is also provided at a point adjacent and spaced rearwardly or outwardly from the lip, with an outwardly struck knob or protuberance 2 which is adapted to abut the outer surface of the box and co-act with the lip for tightly fastening the connector to the box.

The section A is provided between its ends with outwardly flared side portions or flan es 3 and openings 4 through which latter are loosely extended bendable tongues 5 projecting from the side of the other section B. These tongues have outwardly bent hook-like terminals 5 which prevent withdrawal of the tongues from the openings 4 and maintain the sections loosely connected to one another. Due to flared sides or flanges 3, the section A is wider than section B which latter is subject to being partly telescoped by section A when the sections are brought together as shown in Figs. 11, 12 and 13. In this connection it should be noted that the section A has inwardly bent corner bearing portions 6 adapted to seat on corner bearing portions I on the section B as shown in Fig. 9A. These bearing portions serve as fulcrum points in adjusting the sections in initially applying the connector to the box and in the operation of clamping the sections around the conduit and fixing the connector in the opening E.

Each section is provided with a pair of inwardly projecting elongated ridges ii on opposite sides of the knob 2 to act as stops for the end of the conduit G as shown in Figs. 9, 9A and 10 These ridges prevent the conduit from being extended through the connector into the box and as the ridges are arcuate and elongated they act as shields or guards covering the irregular and sharp end of the conduit and preventing damage to the insulation on electrical wires in the conduit as well as short-circuiting of such wires.

As a means for locking the conduit against withdrawal from the connector each of the sections A and B is provided interiorly with a pair of inwardly projecting spurs 9 and It which are spaced apart a greater distance than the threads on the conduit and bite into the conduit so as to prevent any turning, unscrewing or other movement of the conduit which would loosen it or the connector. The spur 9 is located so that the exterior depression 9' which is formed in punching the spur inwardly is disposed in predetermined relation to the flared sides 3 and tongues 5 and serves as a locator for the tool H as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The special tool Hshown in Figs. 11, 12. and 13 includes a fixed jaw I2 formed at one end of a handle I3 and shaped to fit partly around the section B of the connector. Slidable on the handle I3 are jaw carrying members M and I5 which are movable responsive to actuation of a handle I I5 pivoted at one end as at I! to the member l5 and connected by means of pivoted links I8 to the handle I3. The member I4 carries a fixed jaw 19 having a spur 20 which is adapted to fit in the depression 9' in the section A of the connector. When the spur 29 is thus mounted in the depression 9' a pair of jaws 2| are disposed in position to contact the tongues 5 as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. The jaws 2| are in the nature of long arms pivoted at certain ends as at 22 to the member I5 and slidably guided in the member I 4 with their outer ends 23 rounded and disposed for contact with the tongues 5. A spring 24 is interposed between the slide members I4 and I5 and at one end bears on a keeper member 25 slidably supported in the member I5 and bearing against crank arms 26 or the pivoted ends 22 of the jaws 2|. The other end of the spring abuts the member I5 being held in place by the inner end of the jaw I9.

It will now be seen that after the connector has been fitted in the opening in the box F as shown in Figs. 9, 9A and 11 and the conduit G has been inserted into the connector with its end abutting the ridges 8, the tool H is applied as shown in Fig. 11 with jaw I 2 embracing the outer side of the section A and jaw spur 20 engaged in the depression 9' on the section B of the connector.

Upon now forcing the handles I3 and I6 together, the spring 24 is compressed allowing the member I5 to slide on the handle I3 toward the member I4, the movement of which latter is resisted by the connector then engaged by the jaw spur 20 on the member I 4. As the member I5 moves outwardly relative to the member I4, the ends 23 of the jaws 2| are advanced against the outwardly flared ends of the tongues 5 as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 11 and as the pressure of the jaws of the tool against the connector is continued, the sections A and B fulcruming on the bearing portions 6 and 'I will be rocked into parallelism and clamped together as the tongues are bent back against the flared sides or flanges 3 on the section A. As the jaws 2| are further advanced, the sides or flanges 3 are bent inwardly against the sides of the section B. The conduit G being at this time inside the connector, acts as a mandrel and assures that the sections will be bent into tubular or cylindrical form in tight contact with one another and the conduit and at the same time wedged tightly in the opening E. Fig. 13 shows the tool as when the operation thereof has been completed and illustrates the connector as it would appear when the installation thereof has been completed. The tool may now be easily withdrawn by spreading the handles apart and removing the jaws from the connector.

It should be noted that when the sections A and B are forced together from position shown in Fig. 9 to the final position shown in Fig. 10, the lips I and knobs 2 and portions therebetween are forced into close and wedging engagement with said wall thereby permanently fixing the connector to the box in an electrically tight connection therewith. A similar electrically tight connection of the connector and conduit is assured by the tight clamping of the sections therearound and by reason of the spurs 9 and I 0 biting into the conduit. These spurs also permanently lock the conduit in the connector and prevent any unscrewing or other movement which would tend to loosen the connector or the conduit there- 1n.

It will now be apparent that the connector hereof may be inexpensively produced by simple die stamping operations and in having the particular integral fastening means and other provisions hereof may be quickly and reliably installed without the use of screw threaded parts or extraneous fastening elements and in such manner as to fully meet the requirements as to all building laws and codes.

As shown in Fig. 14 a modified form of this invention includes a tubular body member made of two semi-cylindrical sections A and B which are identical with the sections A and B in the previously described connector except that the integral bendable tongues and the particular openings 4 for said tongues are omitted. In place of these tongues I provide a U-shaped bendable wire fastening member 30, the legs 3| which are inserted through openings 32 in the section B, then through openings 33 in the section A and having their free ends 3| bent outwardly to prevent withdrawal of the member 30 and thereby loosely connect the sections together as a unit in substantially the same manner as effected with said tongues. This form of connector is applied to the outlet box in the same manner as the first described connector and is clamped around the conduit and fixed or locked to the outlet box in the same manner, the tool H operating through its jaws 23 to contact the ends 3| and bend them back so as to clamp the sections around the conduit and lock them to the box.

It is now apparent that connectors embodying the present invention are particularly advantageous in that the tubular body members thereof are so constructed and so equipped with fastening means at the ends thereof which are inserted into the outlet box, that said fastening means will automatically lock the connectors in tight engagement with the box incident to the single operation of clamping the body member around the conduit, whether this clamping operation is performed through the medium of the tongues or through the use of the bendable wire fastening shown in Fig. 14, or in face through use of any other clamping means.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction set forth, and the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a connector for fastening a terminal of a conduit to a fixture having an openin therein, a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical connector sections having certain corresponding ends outwardly flared to form retaining flanges adapted to project through said opening for contact with the inner surface of said fixture to prevent withdrawal of said sections from said opening, one of said sections having openings therein, bendable tongues carried by the other of said sections and loosely extended through said openings and bent outwardly at their free ends so as to prevent withdrawal of said tongues while loose- 1y connectin said sections to one another subject to adjustment to bring the flared ends closely together to permit of insertion thereof through said opening with the other ends spaced apart whereby a conduit may be inserted between and held by said sections, said tongues being bendable into position to hold the sections in conduit clamping position, and co-acting bearing portions on said sections arranged to contact one another when adjusting and moving said sections to fit in the opening and when applying to the sections a tool which is manipulated to force the section tightly together and bend the tongues into position for holding the sections clamped on the conduit and holding the flared ends in locked contact with said fixture.

2. A connector for the purpose described comprising a pair of sheet metal sections of arcuate cross section adapted to embrace and clamp therebetween an electrical conduit, one of said sections having openings therein, bendable tongues in integral formation with the other section and extended for free movement in said openings and having outwardly bent free end portions for retaining the tongues in said opening and said sections loosely connected with one another; and anchoring means formed integral with certain correspondin ends of said sections arranged to be disposed in position for anchoring of said sections within an opening in an outlet box or like fixture upon the clamping of said sections around the conduit following the insertion of said ends into said opening, said sections being constructed and arranged so that one will fit within and abut the other to form a substantially cylindrical body when the sections are forced together around the conduit, said tongues being bendable into position in which said sections will be drawn together and held in position for clamping the conduit and disposing said anchorin means in position for securely fixing the connector to said box or fixture, and locking spurs on said sections arranged to contact the conduit to prevent turning and withdrawal of the conduit.

WILLIAM R. WO ODRING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 450,142 Davidson Apr. 14, 1891 1,770,212 Lewis July 8, 1930 2,134,655 Tornblom Oct. 25, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 273,295 Great Britain June 21, 1927 

